The present disclosure relates generally to a device, apparatus and method for receiving data from transmission sources such as satellites, which may be transmitting data using different modulations and different data rates.
Data transmitted from sources such as satellites may be detected by an antenna and processed by several components, such as low noise amplifiers, multi-channel downconverters, separate demodulators and bit synchronizers for each satellite, data matrix switches, and data processing systems, for example. The sources or transmitters transmit data using various modulation techniques such as quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), staggered quadrature phase shift keying (SQPSK), unbalanced quadrature phase shift keying (UQPSK), and binary phase shift keying (BPSK). Data from various sources may be transmitted at different data rates, such as 66, 150, 240, 300 and 600 Megabits per second (Mbps) for example. Each source transmits the data on a single channel, which is capable of handling a range of data rates. A receiving system must be able to receive data transmitted from different sources at different data rates using different modulation techniques.
In general, an antenna receives transmitted data and amplifies the received data using an internal or external low noise amplifier. The amplified data is then sent to and received by a multichannel downconverter. Based upon the data rate and/or type of modulation, the multichannel downconverter transmits the modulated data to a satellite demodulator located in one of a plurality of equipment racks. The selected satellite demodulator demodulates the modulated data into its I and Q components (channels) for bit synchronization. After bit synchronization, a data matrix switch receives the I and Q components and forwards the I and Q components to a data processing subsystem. The data processing subsystem performs forward error correction decoding, frame synchronization, data quality monitoring, and virtual channel splitting. After the data is processed, the data may be stored in a data storage device for the purpose of data archiving, post processing, or retrieval over an Internet Protocol (IP) from external sources. A station control computer performs the remote monitoring and control for all of the ground station related equipment.
Although prior art systems successfully receive and process data, the systems must have separate demodulators, I channel bit synchronizers, and Q channel bit synchronizers for every different data rate transmitted and received. Since many different components are required by this arrangement, the cost of the receiving system is very high. Accordingly, it is desirable to have an advanced data transmission receiver that overcomes the drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art.